High volume construction techniques requiring prefabrication of wood building frames or framing components such as trusses, joists, beams, plywood diagrams and the like has necessitated the search for improved fastening means. Except for glue lamination of structural beams and girders, the joining of lumber and wood products has been largely limited to nails and staples inserted by hand or mechanical impact means. Using large quantities of low capacity fasteners to transfer large stress loads has proven to be generally impracticable both in terms of time and failure to attain the desired result.
Screws afford small advantage over nails or staples having a small effective diameter shank and are thus normally used as anchors against withdrawal.
Spikes, lagscrews and bolts are normally employed to connect timber beams, girders and trusses etc. These devices afford higher allowable design loads in lateral shear but due to their size, weight and use limitations are often of little benefit for commercial joining of lumber or wood product assemblies.
Recent fastener inventions have included surface applied plate or framing anchor connectors that are generally used in lower structural design load capacities.
Disclosures of fasteners found during a preliminary patentability search conducted during October 1981 and cited by the Examiner during the prosecution of the parent case are listed hereinafter and have been reviewed and evaluated for anticipatory purposes.
These references included U.S. Pat. No. 141,810 granted to Nichols, Aug. 12, 1873, which discloses a nail fabricated from sheet metal which is grooved longitudinally to increase stiffness.
U.S. Pat. No. 266,511 granted to Perkins on Oct. 24, 1882 discloses a sheet metal nail wherein the folds in the final product are contiguous.
U.S. Pat. No. 273,385 granted to Perkins on Mar. 6, 1883 discloses a sheet metal nail fabricated of close proximity rolls or folds.
U.S. Pat. No. 624,758 granted to Curtin on May 9, 1899 discloses a hollow plug or wedge for securing flashings to buildings but is not designed for and has no structural integrity.
U.S. Pat. No. 723,452 granted to Estes on Mar. 24, 1903 discloses a hollow spike member having longitudinal cuts allowing the side portions to flare outwardly during the driving process to reduce the changes of withdrawal.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,108,483 granted to Abramson Aug. 25, 1914 discloses a hollow spike member having longitudinal cuts allowing the side portions to flare outwardly during the driving process to reduce the chances of withdrawal.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,344,596 granted to Shaefer on June 22, 1920 discloses a break pin or rivet type device for securing adjacent plates and serving as a pivot pin.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,165,778 granted to Howard Dec. 28, 1915 discloses a railroad spike wherein the spike is fabricated of telescopically received portions such that the points of the spike will flare upon final set to impede withdrwal.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,304,887 granted to Kennedy May 27, 1919 discloses nothing more than an expansion shield or bolt anchor.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,321,101 granted to Openshaw on June 8, 1943 discloses a dowel pin which is adapted to be driven into adjoining wood members and flare outwardly.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,404,928 granted to Schutten July 30, 1946 discloses a nail and sleeve combination which serves essentially to form an anti-withdrawal device.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,543,212 granted to Waara Feb. 27, 1951 discloses a tubular headed fastener including outwardly extending teeth to fixedly engage the host material.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,575,481 granted to Anderson Nov. 20, 1951 discloses a sleeve for securement of a wire fastener within a host material.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,812,526 granted to Porak et al Nov. 12, 1952 discloses a sheet metal nail which is essentially opne and thus would collapse under lateral stress.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,823,572 granted to Gisondi Feb. 18, 1958 discloses several species of hollow screw anchors.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,058,385 granted to Abrahamsen Oct. 16, 1962 discloses a channel shaped sheet metal nail which obviously will not withstand lateral stress.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,093,178 granted to Boyd on June 11, 1963 discloses a screw anchor.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,352,251 granted Aug. 30, 1966 to Bass discloses a screw anchor.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,352,191 granted Nov. 14, 1967 to Crawford discloses a dowel having outwardly flared barbs for securement in the host material.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,417,525 granted to Dashio Dec. 24, 1968 discloses hollow ground supports for building structures obviously a non-analogous art.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,710,672 granted to Hallock on Jan. 16, 1973 discloses a hollow sheet metal nail for use in an aggregate and includes outwardly flaring portions to hinder withdrawal.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,983,779 granted to Dimas Oct. 5, 1976 discloses a sheet metal roofing nail.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,031,802 granted to Hallock June 28, 1977 discloses a hollow sheet metal nail primarily designed for use with a lightweight base material.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,167,885 granted to Paskert et al Sept. 18, 1979 discloses a L or V shaped sheet metal nail which obviously would not withstand lateral sheet stress.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,354,782 granted to Newport Oct. 19, 1982 discloses a drive-in expansion fastener or screw anchor.
Italian Pat. No. 701524 granted Feb. 18, 1966 discloses a sheet metal expansion device for serving as a screw anchor.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,269,251 granted Aug. 30, 1966 to Bass discloses a threaded insert with anchor teeth to function as a nut.